Definition of unworthy
1a : lacking in excellence or value : poor, worthlessb : base, dishonorable
2 : not meritorious : undeserving unworthy of attention
3 : not deserved : unmerited unworthy treatment
4 : inappropriate to one's condition or station actions unworthy of a gentleman
People Are Reading
Recent Examples of unworthy from the Web
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With Western American art long dismissed as unworthy of the fine art world, few collectors would have even cared 25 years ago if an early 20th century oil painting of cowboys or Indians on the frontier was authentic or not.
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Goalby received mail from fans who accused him of being an unworthy champion.
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The play’s dramatic ending is pure Wharton, whose heroine chooses defiant loneliness rather than the love of an unworthy man.
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This theoretical position implies that videogames cannot be perceived as having artistic value, only a technological one, unworthy of being stored.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unworthy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
13th Century
First Known Use of unworthy
13th century
UNWORTHY Defined for English Language Learners
unworthy
playDefinition of unworthy for English Language Learners
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: not good enough to deserve something or someone : not worthy
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: not appropriate or acceptable for a good or respected person
UNWORTHY Defined for Kids
unworthy
playDefinition of unworthy for Students
unworthier
;unworthiest
1 : not deserving someone or something He's unworthy of such praise.
2 : not appropriate for a particular kind of person or thing That behavior is unworthy of you.
unworthiness
\-thē-nəs\ nounLaw Dictionary
unworthy
Legal Definition of unworthy
: not meritorious; specifically in the civil law of Louisiana : being or relating to an heir who is deprived of the right to inherit from a person because of a failure in a duty towards the person
unworthiness
nounLearn More about unworthy
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See words that rhyme with unworthy Spanish Central: Translation of unworthy Nglish: Translation of unworthy for Spanish speakers
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